On London Extra: Screen settings

Immortal movie locations. Plus poverty stats, a positive Tory, Growth Plan latest, City office workers, a housing disappointment and more

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My mood lurches between optimism and gloom at this time of year, sometimes buoyed by the seasonal spirit of goodwill, sometimes plunging into despair about the bad stuff in our city (don't even mention the rest of the world).

This see-saw of emotions created a dilemma for me: should I begin this week's On London Extra on a glad tidings sort of note or one of sorrow? Are we close enough to Christmas to start this newsletter cheerfully?

Emerging from a period of deep private reflection - what others might call "cleaning my teeth" - I have decided to commence with jollity. But don't worry, pessimists - I'll be popping your balloons further down.


LONDON ON SCREEN

Last night I finished watching Black Doves, the Christmassy Netflix drama about lovelorn spy mercenaries performing unlikely forms of action heroism gorgeously.

As so often these days, I wish the drama had had as much commentary substance as it had winning style. Still, there's a novel for that*, as they say, and I enjoyed it anyway, including seeing Keira Knightly, Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire doing their stuff in Liberty's, Buzz Bingo in Tooting and Regent Sounds on Denmark Street. Must have been a lot of fun picking the locations. Must have cost a bomb.